second street, south frankfort: chapter first

Kentucky Historical Society

SECOND STREET, SOUTH FRANKFORT: CHAPTER FIRSTAuthor(s): MRS. JENNIE C. MORTONSource: Register of Kentucky State Historical Society, Vol. 11, No. 33 (SEPTEMBER, 1913), pp.29-41Published by: Kentucky Historical SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23367245 .

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Second Street, South Frankfort

CHAPTER FIRST

BY

MRS. JENNIE C. MORTON.

May, 1899



Note—This paper belonging to the collection of

Chapters of the Streets of the Capital, was written and

read before the Society. Then the task of writing up South Frankfort was one of little moment and not a

great deal of interest to any but the residents of the

homes. Now, however, since the new Capitol has been

located on this side of the river, South Frankfort has

become the cynosure of all eyes, as the site of the mag nificent Capitol built on one of its sloping picturesque hillsides. The demand for a continuation of the history of the streets has been made, and hence this the first

chapter, of the Streets of South Frankfort, is published and will be followed by Main street, now Capitol avenue,

Shelby street, Steele street, etc., as they are prepared.



SECOND STREET, SOUTH FRANKFORT.

By Mes. Jennie C. Morton.

There is before me, a plat of

this, we think the better half of the

Capital. It was drawn by one Wil liam Steele, February 10, 1796. This yellow-stained document, ob tained through the politeness of Mr. N. B. Smith, clerk of the county court, is written in beautiful

penmanship, and runs thus: "The plan of that part of the town of Frankfort lying on the south side of the Kentucky River; the lots and streets running to the cardinal

points agreeable to the magnetic meridian. Main and Cross streets are 99 feet wide, and all of the other streets are 66 feet wide. The

alleys are 16 feet wide. The streets are 99 feet in front, and running back to the alley 190 feet. Laid down by of 20 Jos. Punch. T

"William Steele."

ï eb. 10, 1796. Water Street, the first thorough

fare oo the plat, runs along the river side about four blocks, then comes Second Street. That begins at the foot of a cliff below and west of Ewing Street, the only named avenue below Conway Street, which runs south from the river below the St. Clair Street bridge, a short

passway from its entrance on the south side. This bridge, built in

1S94, is the successor to four

bridges, one after another, built over the Kentucky River from the

north to the soutli side. The first

one. built in 1811-12, fell in (See Collin's History, Vol. 1). We will not write of the quick sand along the south end. It is still a menace there.

The first residence known to have been built on the western end of Second Street was that of Mrs. Elizabeth Humphries, erected in 1802-03. When the house was torn

away some years ago, on the under side of the broad marble door step was carved "1803." Notices of this residence have been made, and full

description of the place may be found in the story of the "Old Homes of Frankfort," under the title of the "Haggin House," writ ten in 1895, and also a letter read

by Mrs. Barrett before the meeting of the "Colonial Daughters" in May, 1896, in the "Daily Capital" of May 9 of that year. The resi dence was owned by Judge Drane, and was sometimes called "The

Haggin House," because of its be ing once the residence of this tal

ented, historic people, several mem bers of which moved to California, and one became a millionaire, now known as the multi-millionaire, James B. Haggin. It Avas built by Mrs. Humphries (sister of John



32 Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society.

and James Brown), then of this

city, when she came from Virginia to Kentucky—a widow in 1802.

Mrs. Humphries was the grand mother of Mrs. Ben Hardin Helm, well known here as one of the most beautiful women in Kentucky in ante helium days. She was Miss

Emily Todd, sister of Mrs. Abra ham Lincoln.

Since these notices were pub lished Judge Drane has died and the family of this distinguished citizen has moved away. The house is closed and silent and there is

nothing now to indicate the elegant grounds that surrounded it in early times, and invested it with a charm of romance of realistic splendor.

The city school building occupies the handsome grounds on the east of it and was once a part of the fa mous old place. The city school

building first erected here in 1868 was burned, and in 1887 the present one was erected. As the school was increased so largely iù numbers tlie old house (Haggin house) was ap propriated for an annex, and finally torn away to make room for minor

departments of the overcrowded public school. "Sic transit gloria" is written over nearly all such

dwelling houses now (1913) in the

city. Opposite the above lots, across the street is the residence of Mr. Meagher, built in 1889-90. It was the property in the earlier

years of this century of Lough borough, a prominent lawyer at the

time, and son-in-law of Judge James

Haggin. At one time it was owned

by Mrs. Jouett. Mrs. Sarah Jouett lived here for many years. She was a niece of President Zacliary Taylor, granddaughter of Col.

Richard Taylor of pioneer times, and the widow of Col. Jouett, U. S.

A., brother of the celebrated artist, Matthew Jouett. She came to

Frankfort in 1860 and bought this

house from the Loughborough heirs in 1863. She died in 1889, 72 years of age ; a woman of fine intelligence and a greatly beloved christian

lady. The upper part of this lot west was divided into building lots and Mr. Arch Overton, cashier of the Farmers Bank, bought the lot

adjoining Mr. Meagher and built a residence there in 1886. Mrs. Gar rett bought the adjoining lot west of him and built there in 1888. Mr. John T. Buckley owning the small house and lot west of Mrs. Garrett built in 1890. This brings Second Street west to a terminus—the cliffs and turnpikes at their feet—leading south to Louisville and north to

Bellepoint addition, forming its western close. It is now known as

Taylor Avenue, named in honor of E. H. Taylor, Jr., whose elegant suburban residence is a mile above on the Louisville turnpike. Be

yond Ewing Street, a narrow pass way cut across a gorge at the foot of Meagher's lot, now the property of Z. P. Montgomery, we find the residence of Judge Joseph Lewis

(now residence of W. S. Farmer) beautifully situated on a grassy knoll, commanding a lovely view of the river, the wharf, and the hand some Government building above it on the north side. This residence was built by George Watson, grand son of the famous John J. Critten den. Mr. Watson only resided there a few years, when he removed to Chicago, and sold the place to E. II. Taylor, Jr., from whom Judge



Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society. ïô

Lewis purchased it, and from whom later Mr. Farmer purchased it.

Conway Street divides this lot

from the Hanna House and

grounds, once the pride and beauty of the South Side. Our pen loving ly lingers at its gateway of iron, for here memory holds so many pretty pictures of beauty in the

spring time, when a school girl we would pass by and look with child ish delight at the lovely and rare trees in bloom, the beautiful flower

beds, environed by the blue grass, velvety and clean of leaf and twig, and the whispering fountain near the gate, where birds of every wing came to drink and sing. The dear old home !

"Birth has gladdened it, death has sancti

fied it."

"No dower of stoned song is thine

Oh! Oh desolate abode,

Forth from thy gates no glittering line

Of lance and spear hath flowed—

Yet—I need but pluck yon garden flower

From where the wild weeds rise

To wake with strange and sudden power

A thousand sympathies."

This handsome white brick house of colonial architecture was built in 1817-18 by John W. Hunt, of Lex

ington, Kentucky, for his daughter, Mrs. John H. Hanna. Col. J. Stod dard Johnston, the living encyclo pedia of Kentucky history, writes me in a letter of April 1, 1899, "It was modeled after Mr. Hunt's

home, afterward the home of Gen eral John H. Morgan's mother, Second and Broadway, Lexington, Ky., built in 1803. Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Hanna were sisters, daughters of John W. Hunt. Situ ated as it is, opposite the old Capi tol, or the North Side, and com

mandmg a delightful view of the

city up and down the river in front, and of the hills north, east and

west, it has been the cherished hope of many of the citizens that the State would yet buy this historic old

home, and remodel it for the Gov ernor's mansion or other public building. It might then suggest in similar situation a miniature of the White House at Washington. Our citizens should preserve this old home as one of its landmarks—

rhe country would enshrine.

That brave and tearless band, At risk of Indian's torch of flame,

To beautify our land.

rhey made Kentucky what she was,

Her homes of "Auld Lang Syne,"

Should now be kept as flags of Cause

The country would enshrine.

Mr. John H. Hanna was one of the first citizens of Frankfort to

buy property on the South Side and build a handsome home. He was clerk of the United States Court in this city from the time of its es tablishment here, and through his

enterprise many improvements were projected for the city that re main as his memorials today. (1913.)

We have been told a little joke concerning Mr. Hanna and Larkin Samuel that we will insert Here. He was a very courtly and polite man, and when he and his friend, Mr. Samuel, became candidates for the same office there was a tie in the vote. Mr. Hanija voted for his

opponent, Mr. Samuel following his

example in voting, remarked: "He had always the profoundest regard for Mr. Hanna's opinion of men, and as he voted he would also," and voted for himself, so Mr. Hanna

H. R.—3




was defeated by his politeness, and •Mr. Samuel was elected.

Mr. Hanna and his estimable wife have been dead many years. This

property is still in possession of their heirs, nieces and nephews whom they adopted, children of Mr. J. Hunt Reynolds, deceased. The old house is now ;used and abused as an apartment house.

rrvu^ ^ jLiit; iiujuiiniig iui/ anu resilience, across an alley from the above, is the property of the Chile's heirs.. It was built' in 188—, is a modern structure of brick, pleasantly situ ated, commodious and handsome. The opposite building on the corner occupies the site of the Ooleman Tavern of 1850-52, a well known inn on the South Side to travelers in the first half of this century (1899). It was then bought by Mr. H. R. Williams and converted into a large wholesale and retail grocery. It belongs now to the Farmers Bank, and is occupied as a grocery by Mr. Scottow.

The adjoining house and lot, fronting both on Second street and the river, is the property of Gen eral D. W. Lindsgy. It was built by Joseph Cabell Breckinridge, who resided there until his death in 1823. He was Secretary of State under Governor Adair. Afterward it became the property of John Herndon, a well known lawyer, father of Mrs. Archibald Dixon, of

Henderson, Ky., John Herndon, of

Louisville, Ky., Mrs. Felicia Julian and Miss Annie Herndon, of Frank fort. After the Civil War General

Lindsey bought the property and has remodeled the house, making it one of the handsomest houses of South Frankfort—a villa by the

river side, embowered in fine trees

and lovely shrubs.

The opposite square belongs to Miss Hallie Herndon, who has her self written its history (which we

append to this chapter). The house on the opposite corner south is the property of Col. Thomas

Rodman, President of the Farmers Bank (now deceased). It is one of three homes remaining as moun ments to the generosity and affec tion of Mr. John Hanna, He owned the square in 1813, one hundred years ago. After he built, or rather moved into the Hanna house, built for his wife by her father, Mr. Hunt, of Lexington, before men tioned, Mr. Hanna then began to clear away this square fronting on Steele Street, and in built inree nouses upon it after the same plan, a quaint style of house seen often in northern cities. These homes were given to his three nieces. The residence of Col. Rod man was then the property of Mrs. Triplet't. Col. Eodman had been living here since ■. During the lifetime of his accomplished and gifted wife, Mrs. Julia W. Rodman, it was the seat of hospitality and cheer. She was one of the choice spirits of the famous Frankfort Lyceum, and this brilliant assem blage of the talent and wit of this cultured little Capital was often gathered in her drawing room, al ways proudly welcomed by both host and hostess. It is a lovely home, with great trees shading the spacious grounds and garden. The next house to this, on a lot taken from it, is Mr. Crutcher's modern home surrounded by a flower garden.



Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society. >D

The adjoining home is the prop erty of Mrs. Edmonia Hawkins Martin Burton. In the spring of 1880 this place was a well known

dimple in the square unpopularly, but truthfully known, as a sink-hole. It was bought by an enterprising grocer of the city, Thomas Rodman,

Jr., nephew of Col. Thomas Rod

man, the banker. He had it filled and erected there the handsome frame residence, at present occu

pied as a boarding house. After the death of his first wife, Mrs. Emma Berry Rodman, Thomas Rodman sold the place to Dick

Tate, then Treasurer of the State, who fled Kentucky in 1887, on ac count of trouble in his office. His wife held it by some technicality of

law, not yet understood, and re sided there until her death in 1894. Then by the same mysterious legal language or construction of title, it

passed to her daughter. No be

quests were made to Mr. Tate's bondsmen that we can learn of whose property went for his debts.

Opposite this is the property made famous by two most distin

guished Kentuckians, Governor Morehead and Col. J. Stoddard J ohnston, who owned it, and as part of the school property of "Arca dia" at one time also. In 1833, as we see on the deed books of the

county court here, this whole square was conveyed to Charles S. More

head, afterward Governor of Ken

tucky, for $6,000. He had the pres ent house built upon it in 1833, by Harrison Blanton, a brick contrac tor at that time. He resided there

many years, then upon being sent to Congress in 1847-1851, he rented the place to Dr. Stuart Robinson

as a boarding house for tiie over flow from his own over-crowded

residence, "Arcadia." Governor

Morehead became Chief Magistrate of the State in 1855. In 1859, when

his term expired, he removed to

Louisville, and the place was sold

to Mr. John Norton, rector of the

Episcopal Church here. He also removed to Louisville, and Col. J. Stoddard Johnston, whom all Ken

tucky knows, and all Frankfort loves and honors, bought the prop erty, paying for the square in 1869

the sum of $16,000. He removed to

Louisville, and the property is now in the hands of the Farmers Bank

(1899). Major Henry T. Stanton, the poet laureate of Kentucky, un

til he died in 1898, once resided

there, and for several years it was

occupied by Mrs. Loula B. Long moor, Regent of the Court of Ap

peals from September, 1890, to

September, 1898. It is still known

as the Stoddard Johnston home, as lie lived there for twenty years, and'

entertained in its parlors the most

distinguished men and women in

the nation, and the old place re

flected for so many years his cul

tured tastes, his genial hospitality and loving kindness to all. (It is

i:ow the home of Judge J. P. Hob

son, of the Court of Appeals.) (1913.)

Un the opposite square was once

the property of Dr. Stuart Robin son. It is known that South Frank fort was once the property of pio neers. Collin's History of Ken

tucky, Vol. 2, page 249, has the fol

lowing concerning this part of the

city: "The most of South Frank fort was included in the east part of a 500-acre survey of George



36 Register of the Kentucky State Historical fcociety.

Campbell in 1789, the extreme southern portion of it having been embraced in the northeast corner of the 1,000-acre survey of George Mason in 1784. The surveys sur

rounding or adjoining the city were —in 1783—two of William Haydon of 425 and 1,000 acres each, on the east, and in 1784 on the north, Han cock Lee's of 500 and Edmund Lyne's of 400 acres." Here it will be seen that this particular square lay in the tracts of Hancock Lee and Edmund Lyne. It is numbered on the plat made in 1796. Among the earliest owners and settlers on this square was Mr. Hensley. From records in the County Court Clerk's office we find Ben Hensley the first owner of this square. He sold to Chapman Coleman. Coleman sold to O. G. Cates, who it is said built the house in 1831-32. He sold the square to Rev. Jos. J. Bullock, Bul lock sold to Stuart Robinson, Robinson, to Philip Fall, Fall to Mr. McMurdey, McMurdey to W. A. Gaines & Co. The heirs sold it to James Hughes.

±ne present House was improved previous to 1848-49 when Dr. •Stuart Robinson, a distinguished Presbyterian preacher bought the square. He enlarged the dwelling md built a schoolhouse of three or ?our rooms on the southwest corner, 3n the spot where now stands the îandsome three-story residence of VI r. Turner, for years the principal >f the Turner Institute here. (Now he property of Mrs. Loula B. Long noor. (1913.) Dr. Robinson called ;he place "Arcadia," and it was .veil named. A beautiful garden of [•are plants and lovely flowers sur rounded the residence, and trees no

where else found on this continent

grew in luxuriance here. He

founded a school for young ladies, and it was one of the largest and most successful institutions of that kind ever established here. Dr. Robinson himself taught a number of classes in Latin and mathematics and history, and thus assisted his competent corps of teachers. At the same time that he conducted this school he was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of this city. His fame as an orator at tracted such crowds to his church that its seating capacity was overtaxed ; admiring strangers filled galleries and aisles, and often windows too, to hear the great preacher of that day. He outgrew this little city, that had founded and fostered his talent, and, as the Capi tal of the State, made conspicuous his genius and his oratory. He received many calls from other places, complimentary and advan tageous alike, but finally decided to go to Baltimore, and there took charge of an independent church, usually called the Duncan Church. He had lived in Frankfort a little more than six years. In 1859 the General Assembly removed Dr. Robinson to the Danville Theologi cal Seminary from Baltimore. In 1860 he removed to Louisville to live and became the pastor of the Second Church. "Arcadian Insti tute was no more."

In a memorial (received since writing the above), written of Dr. îïobinson in 1881, after his death in Louisville, we read the following paragraph of his preaching here: 'He was a grand preacher, a most rttractive pulpit orator. Crowds



Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society. H

of people attended liis ordinary Sabbath services, and during the

sittings of the Legislature his church was always filled to its ut most capacity. He was then, as ever afterward, a preacher of the

plain and simple doctrines of the

gospel. In Frankfort, as he had done at Maiden, and as he after ward did at Baltimore and Louis

ville, he built a large and expensive church. There too, as before stated, lie superintended a large female

boarding school, teaching the ad vanced classes himself, Mrs. Robin son taking charge of the boarding department. In Frankfort, even before he had reached the age of

35, he did some of the most power ful and popular preaching of his whole ministerial life." (Page 17.)

Rev. Mr. McMurdy and Key.

Philip Fall succeeded Dr. Robinson in this famous old home. Later on

Major AValker resided there.

Major Henry T. Stanton, poet laureate of Kentucky, lived there for years, and wrote some of his most famous poems sitting under its rare old trees listening to the

Peter-bird, singing in the branches of the Jinko tree which he has im

mortalized in a song called the

"Peter-bird." He revived its dis

tinction—the most illustrous peo ple of the day visiting him there—

so its history is embellished with

famous memories. Here he wrote:

"There's silence out in these mystical hills

There's silence over the voiceful rills

And earth to all of its sorrowful thrills

In the fever of day is dead."

In recent years it was bought

by Mr. James Hughes, a lumber

merchant. The old house has been

remodeled and much improved.

llie square on the north ot the house had previously been sold and divided into building lots. Miss Blakemore bought the first lot sold, adjoining the original liome lot, where the beautiful gar den of other days blossomed with

tovely flowers. She had erected there a handsome modern house. Lt was first occupied by Maj. Hale, Treasurer of the State, during his term of office. He was succeeded

by George W. Long, Treasurer, who also leased the house during his

term, which expired December 1st, 1899. The house and lot adjoining is the property of Mrs. Emma Saf fell. The third lot is the property of John T. Buckley, and his resi dence there is one of the handsom est in South Frankfort. This lot finishes the square.

On the southwest corner ot the

square, on the corner of Second and

Main, is the residence of Judge Williams. Adjoining his lot is the iiome and large grocery building of Mr. Sallender, Councilman. Be

yond this square and the foot

bridge is a lumber yard, and beyond this a number of homes belonging to and occupied by negroes.

On the south side of Second Street opposite there are only two

squares of importance, one being opposite "Arcadia," of which we have before written. One half of this square is a park of beautiful trees. Adjoining this pretty wood land is the property of George W. Lewis. He has erected a pretty home and resides there with his

family. The lot adjoining his is owned and occupied by Mrs. Loula B. Longmoor, who in 1894 erected a. beautiful modern residence there.




Adjoining her lot is the handsome

home of Mr. Stagg, formerly owned

and built by Mr. Presley Gray in

1896. The adjoining lot is the

property of Mr. Charles Exum.

This honse was built by Harrison

Johnston, brother of Col. J. Stod dard Johnston, and was the first

one built on this square besides the

main residence, owned and erected

by Charles S. Morehead in 1833.

This beautiful lot was sold by Col.

Johnston to his brother as an es

pecial favor, that he might have

him near. He resided there until

his death, when Matt Johnson, of

Lexington, bought the property and

presented it to the wife of Col. J. Stoddard Johnston.

The street railway popularized Second Street and made this prop erty the beginning of a series of homes upon this famous square. The lots sold from it have more than surpassed the original price of the whole square in 1869, which was $16,000. Every lot on this

square is sold and occupied by handsome homes today. (1913.) The Exum property is on the cor ner of Second and Main, and above northeast of it is the Berry prop erty. This elegant square has never been invaded by any home save the handsome one in the centre.

Tins finishes Second Street, save the Herndon square, on which is located the well known South Side Grocery store of J. Heeney, and of which Miss Herndon will write in tier supplement to this chapter.

The Herndon Square on Second Street.

Written and read by Miss Hallie Herndon

before the Society of "Colonial Daughters,"

1897. It was a supplement in the chapter

of Second Street, written hy Mrs. Jennie C.

Morton, and afterwards read before the

Historical Society (1901).—Hallie Herndon.

Chapter 1.

Mrs. Morton has written up Sec ond Street so admirably and given such a charming account of the old

homes, there is little for me to sup plement, yet as she has requested a. history of this particular square on Second Street, I will try and

supply it from the record and pic tures from memory of it.

It may be of interest to us to

know, as I have obtained the knowl edge from the court records, that my great-grandfather, Matthew Ciark, owned the whole of Second Street, the Frankfort valley south included. He owned the land on the south side fronting on the river, ex

tending four miles in each direction, making a tract of land four miles square, including Fleetwood Farm on the Louisville turnpike. This tract of land includes the farm that Matthew Clark gave to his son, Joseph Clark, at the time of his marriage, and is now in possession of his son, Charles J. Clark (the architect). It also included Matthew Clark's homestead. The 3ld house was burned, but it for merly occupied the site where now Mr. E. H. Hughes built his resi dence. His claim antedates, it is said, all other claims.

Matthew Clark reared a large family and was devoted to the in terest of his children. This valua



Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society. 39

ble tract liere was sacrificed to pav securitv debts. and it is now the

city of South Frankfort. When South Frankfort was first settled it was for a number of years a sepa rate corporation from North Frank fort and had its own trustees, among the first of these were Mr. Jack Hanna, Mr. Larkin Samuel, and my father, William T. Hern

don, of Second Street. There were

very few houses in it at that time. These trustees were influential, after many years, in getting North Frankfort to receive South Frank fort into its corporate limits, mak

ing one city. Tins was accom

plished in 1847, or about 1850 when the two became one city. In this

year William T. Herndon bought the residence on the corner of Sec ond and Steele Streets from Mr.

George Robinson. It was unfin ished at the time but upon its com

pletion he moved his family into the house. It is well built, and was the pride of Mr. Peter Jett, who was the contractor and carpenter who erected it. He regarded it as one of the best built frame houses in the city. (He died many years ago.)

William T. Herndon married La vinia Clark, daughter of Joseph Clark, and granddaughter of Matthew Clark, the original owner of Second Street and the valley of South Frankfort. William T. Herndon's brief span of life closed at the age of thirty-six. His con

temporaries continue to laud his

virtues, his unceasing activities, and his devotion to the public wel fare. He was a lawyer and a sher iff under the old Constitution, and was repeatedly elected to this of*

fice. All his business ventures were successful. He was one of the direc tors of the Farmers Bank and was a deacon for years in the First

Presbyterian Church of this city, and transacted the business in con nection with building the church at the west end of Main Street.

The lot facing the river on the Herndon Square was identified in

early days by a log house, located about the center and occupied by the ferryman, Mr. Trimble, who had charge of the ferry boat then

running from the north to the south side of the river. This was done

away with when the bridge was built across the river, at the foot of St. Clair Street, 1811. He was the same person, who was afterward police judge of South Frankfort, for it then had its own corporation.

Just where Mr. James Heeney's grocery now is, there stood a white

cottage, where lived Mr. Leonard, whose son afterward became a fa mous Presbyterian minister. He lived in California. The three

story brick house below the cottage toward the river was built for a

schoolhouse, and residence, and was the first house of this kind in this

part of South Frankfort. Mr. Sam Harris was the first teacher there,, he was, though a singular man, then considered a fine teacher. He had, we have been told, the novel method of singing out the alphabet, the

spelling and geography lesson as well. He after a few years moved to Henderson, Kentucky. This was the first school, and was succeeded

by others we will mention hereafter. Herndon Square was called for

my father, and the beginning of its

history should have been taken up




on First or Water Street, in the

days when the ferry boat plied from Ann Street on the north side to Herndon's wharf. It was on the South Side, near Herndon's wharf, where the skirmish with the Indians took place with Captain William

Bryan and a small company of men who were in camp there. The man, Stephen Frank, was killed in the

encounter, and it has been said that from that skirmish, and the death of Frank, that our city took its name. It is hoped that some day, a tablet will be erected there to mark the historic spot.

Second Street lias been noted for its schools, some of them famous. On the corner of Second and Shelby Streets was Dr. Stuart Robinson's school for young ladies, mentioned in Mrs. Morton's paper, then after Dr. Eobinson, came Dr. McMurdy, and Rev. Philip Fall, also Dr. Dodd, then Mr. Plumlev. It was known as the Eclectic Institute. Mr.

Stephens succeeded Mr. Plumley, and Prof. Turner both of them. He bought the property and con verted it into a boarding school. But the central point of interest for us on Second street is the dear old home of my childhood, flanked by its beautiful old-fashioned garden of flowers.

"Breathes there a man with soul so dead

Who never to himself hath said

This is my own, my native land."

This ramons garden was ar

ranged by Carmichael. I think of it now with its rows of roses of

every variety, and its long ribbon beds of white lilies, standing like sheeted sentinels around the four sides of the large square, with seven large beds filled with

sweet violets, spring and fall, wafting their fragrance far and near. Mrs. General Clark often said, it was difficult to walk by the Herndon Square, where there was so much to tempt one to

linger in such a delightful atmos

phere of roses, honeysuckles, pinks and geraniums. Such are my memories of my old home, and my noble mother, the genius of the place. The Herndon home, as the people of Frankfort know, was made by lier a hospitable home for friends and relations. She reared her family, and educated her chil dren, after the death of her hus band. And it was said of her, she was wise in all her transactions, and successful in lier undertakings. Herndon Square is in the memory of her family and friends, forever associated with her. She was the person who made it one of the show places of the city, by her judgment, lier culture and her taste.

Lditor The Register :

Please write us about the historic places or spots in Frankfort. An swer: Frankfort is the shrine of history in Kentucky, consequently it is difficult to separate places, identified as historic in the city. The most historic and oldest spot in the city is a lot on Wapping and Wilkinson Street, known as the Love place. It was in the old house that the first Legislature jmet in Frankfort. It was there Aaron Burr met his conspirators. There General Lafayette visited the dis tinguished and beautiful widow, Mrs. Love, and wore upon the lapel of his coat a spray of wild roses she gave him when he bade her adieu.



Register of the Kentucky State Historical Society. -i

There the first sermon was preached in Frankfort, and the first

Sunday School was organized south of the Allegheny Mountains, etc. This fact was emphasized at the

meeting of the World's Sunday Schools in Washington, when Mrs.

Morton told of it there, and pre sented the pictures and history to its superintendent of illustrations.

The cemetery is a necropolis 01 world-wide fame, being tlie burial

place of famous soldiers, poets and statesmen.



second street, south frankfort: chapter first

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